Festuca plant named ‘Casca11’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Festuca glauca , ‘Casca11’, characterized its cascading foliage that is intensely silver-blue in color with the coloration retained throughout the growing season, and its tolerance to heat and humidity and drought.

Botanical classification: Festuca glauca.

Varietal denomination: ‘Casca11’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Festucaglauca and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name,‘Casca11’. ‘Casca11’ is a new cultivar of perennial ornamental grassgrown for container and landscape use.

The new cultivar, ‘Casca11’ arose as a naturally occurring chimeralmutation of Festuca glauca ‘Elijah Blue’ (not patented) that was growingin the Inventor's garden in 2002 in Haarsteeg, The Netherlands.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished bydivision in Haarsteeg, The Netherlands in 2004 by the Inventor. Thecharacteristics of this cultivar have been determined to be stable andare reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent thecharacteristics of the new cultivar. The new Festuca has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions. These attributesin combination distinguish ‘Casca11’ from all other selections ofFestuca known to the Inventor.

-   -   1. ‘Casca11’ exhibits foliage that is intensely silver-blue in        color with the coloration retained throughout the growing        season.    -   2. ‘Casca11’ exhibits cascading foliage.    -   3. ‘Casca11’ is tolerant to heat and humidity and drought.

‘Casca11’ has a similar plant habit and growth rate to its parent plant,‘Elijah Blue’, however ‘Casca11’ exhibits leaves that are moresilver-blue in color. In addition to ‘Elijah Blue’, ‘Casca11’ can bemost closely compared to the cultivars ‘Bolder Blue’ (not patented) and‘Select’ (not patented). Both ‘Bolder Blue’ and ‘Select’ differ from‘Casca11’ in having leaves that are more upright and less cascading andin being smaller in plant size.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceand distinct characteristics of two year-old plants as grown in 16-cmcontainers outdoors in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates the overall plant habit andappearance of ‘Casca11’.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a detailed close-up view of the leafcoloration of ‘Casca11’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 shows a comparison between ‘Elijah Blue’ on theleft and ‘Casca11’ on the right.

The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describethe colors of the new Festuca.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The general observations and descriptions describe 2-year old plants asgrown outdoors in 16-cm containers in Rijnsburg, The Netherlands. Plantswere grown under average day temperature of 12° to 28° C. and averagenight temperatures of 6° to 16° C. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in temperature, day-length, light intensity, soil types, andwater and fertility levels without, however, any variance in genotype.The color determinations are in accordance with the 2007 R.H.S. ColourChart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except wheregeneral color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:    -   -   Plant type.—Evergreen to semi-evergreen perennial grass.        -   Plant habit.—Tight mound of cascading foliage.        -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 33.2 cm in height, spreads            to about 68.5 cm in diameter.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Zones 4 to 8.        -   Culture.—Tolerant to heat, humidity and drought.        -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptible or resistance to pests            and diseases has been observed.        -   Root description.—Fibrous.-   Growth and propagation:    -   -   Propagation.—Division.        -   Root development from division.—Fully develop in 9-cm            containers in about 9 months.        -   Growth rate.—Moderate to high.        -   Branching.—Main shoots grow from the base, no lateral            branches.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Leaf shape.—Filiform, strongly curved.        -   Leaf division.—Simple.        -   Leaf base.—Sheathed.        -   Leaf apex.—Long acuminate.        -   Leaf aspect.—Leaves initially emerge upright, then cascade.        -   Leaf venation.—Parallel, color same as leaf blade.        -   Leaf margins.—Entire.        -   Leaf persistence.—Persistent; evergreen under conditions            tested.        -   Leaf size.—Average of 28.9 cm in length and 1.8 mm in width.        -   Leaf number.—Average of 4 leaves per shoot, about 200 shoots            in a 16-cm container.        -   Leaf arrangement.—Tufted.        -   Leaf surface.—Dull and smooth on upper and lower surface.        -   Leaf durability to stress.—High.        -   Leaf color.—Young leaves upper surface; N138C, lighter            towards the base; 144B to 144C, leaves covered with a waxy            layer; 189B, mature leaves upper surface; N137C to 137D,            leaves covered with a waxy layer; 188A, sheaths; 138D, young            leaves lower surface; N138C, lighter towards the base; 144B            to 144C, leaves covered with a waxy layer; 189B, mature            leaves lower surface; N137C to N137D, leaves covered with a            waxy layer; 188A, sheaths; 138D.-   Flower description: No flowers observed to date.-   Fruits and seeds: Seed production has not been observed to date.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Festuca plant named ‘Casca11’ asherein illustrated and described.